He becomes a centennarian this week. “In his time, Kunitz seems to have known or had contact with practically everyone of note in the poetry world. He has also won virtually every prize and honor, and propelled or redirected the careers of dozens of poets. He won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, and served as consultant in poetry to the Library of Congress from 1974 to 1976 and again from 2000 to 2001, at age 95, after the position was renamed poet laureate.”
Tag: 07.28.05
Theatre Calgary’s New Top Guy
Theatre Calgary has a new director. He’s “Dennis Garnhum, 37, a London, Ont., native who has been living in New York for the past three years, is a chameleon director whose résumé includes musical theatre, opera, American and British political drama, murder mysteries and a number of new Canadian plays.”
Ex-Newfoundland Gallery Director Speaks Out
Why did the director/founder of Newfoundland’s provincial art gallery suddenly resign? “Gordon Laurin said he had objected to a proposed restructuring of gallery staff and management, including cutting staff by 40 per cent, to eight employees. This move would eliminate several key positions, leaving only two curators, two administrative assistants, and those who look after the collections. It would also see some staff, such as technical or outreach workers, reporting to different provincial departments including financing and marketing, diluting the gallery’s in-house ability to handle such processes as exhibit loans, or artist-in-residence programs, he said.”
Pay To Play – Radio Payola Thrives
Is payola rampant in the radio business? Apparently, and there are the incriminating emails to prove it. “This week Sony BMG, a leading record label, apologised and agreed to pay a fine of $10m for bribing radio stations. New York’s hyperactive attorney-general, Eliot Spitzer, said that bribes are pervasive in the industry, and that he is continuing his investigation into the other big record labels—Universal, EMI and Warner Music—as well as the radio business.”
Disney Closing Last hand-Drawn Animation Studio
Disney has announced it will close its last studio that draws cartoons by hand. “Disneytoon Studios (in Sydney, Australia) employees were informed of the decision Wednesday and were told the studio would shut down in mid-2006 after the completion of work on sequels to the films Brother Bear and Cinderella. Disney began with hand-drawn, two-dimensional animation in films like Pinocchio and Snow White. However, the most popular animated films are now of the computer-generated, three-dimensional variety, like Toy Story, Shrek and The Incredibles.”
The Race Is On To Be Tallest
Will Chicago build America’s tallest building? There are plans, of course. Worldwide, the competition for “tallest building” continues. “There are real bragging rights to being the tallest that go back 3,000 years. Exceeding or exalting for spiritual reasons or a demonstration of power dates back from Babylon on – wanting to take a place in history, reserve a place in the timeline. Height is a fixation.”
Kelly Appointed First South Bank Artistic Director
London’s South Bank has its first artistic director. “Theatre director Jude Kelly has been appointed the first artistic director of London’s South Bank Centre. The Liverpool-born 51-year-old will be responsible for programmes at the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and Hayward Gallery.”
And The Standard Is Now… Digital
Major Hollywood studios have agreed on a standard for digital projection of movies. “Studios have spent the last three years working on the technology and have now settled on specifications they say are good enough for all types of movies. Some cinemas have already installed digital projectors, but the deal means an industry standard can be rolled out around the world.”
Christo Goes After Colorado
Christo and Jeanne Claude are pressing forward with their plans to cover part of a Colorado river with fabric. “State, local and federal governments permitting, “Over the River” would occur over two midsummer weeks in 2008, at the earliest, the husband-and-wife team said. Their display, whose seven increments would range from a half mile to 2 1/2 miles long, is designed to be observed from above by motorists on U.S. 50 and from below by hikers and rafters, they said. The fabric is designed to reflect the sky for those watching from above and to diffuse the light when seen from below.”
Tate Rejects Stuckists
The Tate Museum has turned down a proposed gift of 160 paintings offered by a group of artists known as the Stuckists. Tate director Sir Nicholas Serota wrote to the Stuckists, who offered the gift: “We do not feel that the work is of sufficient quality in terms of accomplishment, innovation or originality of thought to warrant preservation in perpetuity in the national collection.”